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The British Council is the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. Below you will find some key information about us.
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We operate in 109 countries all over the world winning friends and influence for the UK. |
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Cultural relations – the business of building trust and understanding between nations – is a vital part of the UK’s international relations. |
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Our activity includes the arts, education and training, teaching English language, science and technology, sport, governance and human rights – we’re probably the only organisation in the world that covers the full spectrum of human activity in education and training. |
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Our approach delivers both short term and long term benefits for the UK. |
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We’re a modern, efficient organisation which gives good value for money. |
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We enrich the cultures of the UK and help to raise standards and achievements in UK schools by broadening the horizons of young people. |
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We operate in 109 countries all over the world winning friends and influence for the UK. |
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In 2007-08 we received grant-in-aid of £189 million from the Foreign and Commonwealth office. |
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Our total turnover 2007-08 was £551 million. |
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For every pound of grant we receive we generate an additional £1.92p. |
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We’ve led a campaign to bring an extra 75,000 HE and FE students into the UK each year. In April 2006 we launched PMI 2 designed with the target of attracting 100,000 students to the UK by 2011. |
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In 2007-08 we reached over 112 million people. |
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In 2007-08 we engaged with 15.6 million people. |
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In 2007-08 we administered 1.7 million examinations to 1.3 million students. |
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UK government grant-in-aid £188 million. |
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Total turnover £551 million. |
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We have 7,900 staff. |
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2.85 million enquiries handled each year worldwide. |
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7.4 million people a year visit our centre. |
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We have engaged with 1.3 million customers of our English Language Teaching and examinations. |
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We deliver 1.5 million UK examinations to over one million candidates worldwide. |
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In 70 British Council Teaching Centres in 53 countries we teach 1,189,000 class hours to 300,000 learners. |
The British Council builds engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide.
We work in three main programme areas:
Inter-cultural dialogue
Our aim here is to:
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strengthen understanding and levels of trust between people in the UK and other societies |
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strengthen the consensus for rejecting extremism in all its forms |
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increase the ability of individuals and organisations to contribute to positive social change and the strengthening of civil society |
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increase the use of English as a tool for international communication and inter-cultural understanding |
UK creative and knowledge economy
Our aim here is to:
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increase the value to the UK of its share of the market for international education |
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enhance the UK’s reputation as a source of expertise and a partner for skills development, including in the teaching and learning of English |
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strengthen the international profile and engagement of the UK’s creative sector |
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increase the UK’s contribution to international co-operation in research and innovation |
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ensure that every teacher and learner of English worldwide has access to quality language services from the UK |
Climate change
Our aim here is to:
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increase understanding of the case for tackling climate change |
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increase support for the achievement and implementation of international agreements that address the threats of climate change |
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strengthen relationships and networks which lead to action on climate change mitigation and adaptation. |
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